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Mysterious jetpack rental billboards explained

An Upstate public relations company revealed a new transportation program in downtown Greenville Tuesday.

The announcement puts on end to questions regarding billboards promoting Greenville jetpack rentals seen around town. FULL STORY

The new program is called Greenville B-cycle. WYFF News 4 first told you about B-cycle in December of last year.

It is being called the next-generation bike sharing system and is set to hit town in a few weeks.

The announcement came forward as the real reason for the Greenville Jetpack rentals campaign that has created a stir throughout the community.

Designed to get Greenville residents thinking about new transit options downtown, the teaser campaign was intended to maximize awareness that Greenville B-cycle will begin offering its new downtown commuting option with a soft launch on March 28 and the official launch on April 9.

Between these two dates, promotional codes for free 24-hour passes will be accessible at any bike-share station to encourage passers-by to try out the new system.

Greenville B-cycle is being made possible through a partnership between Greenville Hospital System and nonprofit conservation group Upstate Forever with additional funding being provided by Greenville Transit Authority and Greenville County Recreation District.

Developed by local marketing firm Erwin Penland, the campaign was first seen on digital billboards across the city, capturing the community’s attention by promoting Greenville as the first city in the nation to offer a fully functioning jetpack transit service.

The tongue-in-cheek campaign included a detailed website and Facebook page describing the reasons Greenville would be the perfect destination to test jetpacks and a viral video that appeared to show an actual jetpack user flying over downtown.

"The Greenville Jetpack campaign got a lot of people talking about new and innovative ways to move around Greenville,” said Brad Wyche, executive director of Upstate Forever. “We hope the buzz will carry over to Greenville B-cycle and that people will try this great new way to navigate downtown Greenville while enjoying the health and environmental benefits of riding a bike.”

Greenville B-cycle will offer 28 adult-sized bicycles that users can pick up or return at conveniently located stations: County Square, Sterling Community Center, City Hall, the Greenville Transit Center and at the corners of College and North Main Street and Rhett and River Streets. Users must be at least 18 years of age.

Each bicycle comes equipped with baskets to store belongings during rides, front and rear LED lights for safety and self-charging GPS technology that provides actual rider data including speed and routes ridden, allowing users to see their statistics on the B-cycle website.

With membership rates starting at $5 for a 24-hour pass, Greenville B-cycle is simple and extremely affordable. Weekly passes will be sold for $15 and annual passes can be purchased for only $60, both of which can be obtained online.

Alternatively, users can purchase 24-hour passes at any B-cycle station or online, then grab a bike and go, returning the borrowed bicycle to any convenient “B-station” around town.

Operators at Greenville B-cycle will also be able to use the bike’s GPS technology to monitor the location of each bicycle to reallocate as needed and discourage theft. While helmets are not yet included, they are strongly encouraged and organizers are currently pursuing grants and sponsorships to one day provide helmets to riders.Greenville B-cycle is developing as a true community project.

In addition to the generous funding support from GHS and other partners, in-kind services are being provided by Leadership Greenville, LiveWell Greenville, the City of Greenville, Greenville County, Greenville County Recreation District, Safe Kids Upstate and Erwin Penland. Local bicycle rental company Reedy Rides will be responsible for bike repair, maintenance, and redistribution through the system.

Opportunities to sponsor bike stations and bike-share bicycles also exist, which will not only allow businesses to invest in their community and this green transportation alternative but also provide highly visible recognition throughout the downtown area.

Copyright 2013 byWYFF All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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